Erosion

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Erosion is the movement of earthen materials from one area to another due to forces such as wind, water, and ice. Under natural conditions, this process occurs slowly over time. However, erosion is often accelerated by anthropogenic activities, such as construction agriculture, and deforestation (AAFC, 2025).[1] This accelerated rate of erosion can compromise the effectiveness of LID systems and impact watershed health.

Erosion along natural steam and riverbanks can increase sediment deposition in stormwater management systems[2]. The accumulation of sediment overtime exerts a stress on stormwater systems, as their overall volume capacity for water becomes reduced[3].

The Sustainable Technologies Evaluation Program guide to Sediment and Erosion Control can be found here.

  1. ↑ Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 2025. Soil erosion. https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/environment/resource-management/indicators/soil-erosion.
  2. ↑ McDonough, K., Moore, T., & Hutchinson, S. (2017). Understanding the relationship between stormwater control measures and ecosystem services in an urban watershed. J. Water Resources and Planning Management, 143 (5)
  3. ↑ Bledsoe, B. (2002). Stream erosion potential and stormwater management strategies. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 128 (6), 451-455.

Low Impact Development. A stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased urban runoff and stormwater pollution by managing it as close to its source as possible. It comprises a set of site design approaches and small scale stormwater management practices that promote the use of natural systems for infiltration and evapotranspiration, and rainwater harvesting.

Soil, sand and minerals washed from land into water, usually after rain. They pile up in reservoirs, rivers and harbors, destroying fish-nesting areas and holes of water animals and cloud the water so that needed sunlight might not reach aquatic plans. Careless farming, mining and building activities will expose sediment materials, allowing them to be washed off the land after rainfalls.

Soil, sand and minerals washed from land into water, usually after rain. They pile up in reservoirs, rivers and harbors, destroying fish-nesting areas and holes of water animals and cloud the water so that needed sunlight might not reach aquatic plans. Careless farming, mining and building activities will expose sediment materials, allowing them to be washed off the land after rainfalls.

(1) The wearing away of the land surface by moving water, wind, ice or other geological agents, including such processes as gravitation creep; (2) Detachment and movement of soil or rock fragments by water, wind, ice or gravity (i.e. Accelerated, geological, gully, natural, rill, sheet, splash, or impact, etc).

A biological community, including humans and their natural environment.

The drainage area of a river.

An area of land that drains into a river or a lake. The boundary of a watershed is based on the elevation (natural contours) of a landscape.

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